Nerusona

Chapter 12

The Shadow gave a blank stare at its original self.

“But even if you feel like you’ve fallen into the depths of despair, friends can help pull you out.”

Yamaguchi rose to her feet, standing guard.

“Death shouldn’t be a thing to wish for. That’s what all three of you were trying to tell me.” Raku gave a sheepish grin, glancing over at Yamaguchi and back to her Shadow.

The fake Raku nodded.

“You are me, as much as I hate to admit it in front of others. I accept you. Please don’t harm my friends anymore.”

The Shadow faded away for good, and standing next to Raku seemed to be a young blonde girl who had an ominous atmosphere about her. She introduced herself as Alice, disappearing shortly after. Before Raku could question who that was, Yamaguchi ran up to her and gave the other female a tight embrace.

“No more dying,” she said, tears spilling out of her eyes. “No more—”

“No more dying,” repeated Raku, confirming that she would stay alive. “You two saved me. I’m past that.” She looked around. “Where’s Tanaka, though?”

Yamaguchi’s heart dropped, immediately taking off to find where she last left Tanaka. Raku wandered after her, staring around at the giant hall the trio was in. The dog-eared female kneeled down next to her brother again, pressing an ear against his chest. His heart rate was slow, but he was alive.

“He’s not dead…” muttered Yamaguchi, relieved. “He’ll be fine, I hope. Maybe he’ll regain consciousness later.”

“Did…she do that?” queried the other girl.

“Your Shadow?”

“Yeah…”

Yamaguchi nodded. “Can you help me carry him out of this place?”

“Sure.”

Yamaguchi lifted Tanaka off the ground and carried him in her arms, Raku standing next to her in case the dog-eared female lost her balance or dropped him. As they descended from the fourth floor to the first, Yamaguchi noted that there was not a single Shadow in sight—did she defeat them all earlier?

“This feels like a dream,” Raku muttered as the two females exited the towering building. “No… This feels like a nightmare.”

“How did you end up here, anyways?” Yamaguchi’s voice sounded strained and exhausted.

Raku stared up at the green tinted sky, momentarily musing. “I’m…not too sure… I don’t remember what I was doing before, but I suddenly found myself in that giant hall. She was there, too. We argued for awhile, and then you two showed up.”

“When Tanaka wakes back up, you should tell him everything.” Yamaguchi grinned at Raku. “He’s more interested in this whole world than I am.”

When they departed off the distorted school’s campus, Raku and Yamaguchi parted ways. By the time Yamaguchi arrived at the house, she dropped Tanaka off at his futon and yawned. She felt like sleeping for eternity…

April 10th. Thursday.

When Tanaka opened his eye, Yamaguchi was already standing next to his futon. She hugged him tightly, relieved again that he was alive and now conscious. Tanaka was confused, but his sister caught him up on yesterday’s events starting from when he passed out from Shadow Raku’s attack. He asked what time it was, and Yamaguchi replied that it was almost noon; she notified Shido of her absence and relied on him to pass the news to Roku.